


Five Times Jim Flirted with Captain Pike

by storiesfortravellers



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brief Mentions of Kink, Daddy Issues, Fix-It, Flirting, M/M, Mentors, Power Imbalance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 19:23:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/930176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesfortravellers/pseuds/storiesfortravellers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim's flirtations don't always get the best results. But sometimes....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Jim Flirted with Captain Pike

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anassa_anemou (kitsunesspblm)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=anassa_anemou+%28kitsunesspblm%29).



A week after Jim arrived at the Academy, Captain Pike himself showed up at his dorm room.

He gave a little speech, the gist of which was: “This is your chance to make something of yourself. Don’t let me down, son.”

Jim knew exactly what Pike was doing. He was trying to make Jim want to live up to his so-called potential by making it seem like someone else was counting on him. Pike was playing up the father angle to make Jim crave his approval. 

The problem was, it was working. The bastard. 

When Pike was done, Jim, who had managed to get through orientation and learn basic protocol for addressing superior officers with only a few disciplinary incidents, said, simply, “Yes, sir.” 

Pike raised an eyebrow. He quipped, “Glad to you see you’re adjusting. I bet this is the first time in your life you’ve called anyone other than your arresting officer ‘sir’.”

Jim smiled, nodded at the teasing. But he could hit the ball back: “Actually, _sir,_ I’ve addressed many men that way. It just usually involved whips and chains.”

Pike didn’t laugh. He just stared at Jim with hard eyes, as if he weren’t sure what Jim were up to. 

It was, Jim had to admit, kind of intimidating. 

“Which is, of course, entirely inappropriate to mention in a professional conversation, sir. Sorry, sir,” Jim backtracked.

Pike nodded, lips pursed, and gave him a look before leaving.

In the future, during the many years they would work together, Kirk would come to think of that as Pike’s _I am so not taking your shit today_ look.

\--

When Captain Pike offered a special 4-day seminar at the Academy on field applications of recent political theories, Jim made sure to sign up. As in, he blackmailed, bribed, and generally cajoled anyone he could to make sure he got one of the sought-after spots.

Jim had originally signed up because he wanted more face time with Chris. But when he got there, he found he learned more in four days than he did in a typical month of ordinary coursework. Most of the class didn’t even understand how brilliant Chris actually was. Even Jim was surprised – he knew Chris was smart, but he didn’t know before the seminar that Chris was one of the sharpest minds he’d ever meet. It was actually pretty good for Jim’s ego (though Bones would say that’s the last thing he needed): Christopher Pike was a truly extraordinary man, and he thought Jim was extraordinary too. At least in his potential.

The class itself wasn’t always good for Jim’s ego, though. Most of his instructors were impressed and even charmed by him; most of the ones who hated him either begrudgingly respected his intellect or made petty efforts to get him to fail or look bad by asking him the toughest questions. Jim always saw it coming; he had plenty of practice discerning benign resentment - over the fact that Jim could be obnoxious sometimes -- from the rarer type, a deep resentment of every fiber in Jim’s being. So when Jim detected that an instructor felt the latter, he always showed up prepared. But Pike always asked Jim surprising questions – hard questions, questions he wasn't prepared for at all no matter how much he studied. Chris made him think about his own assumptions, about how his own patterns of question-asking shaped how he thought of interplanetary relations. He pushed to Jim to question accepted wisdom, proving, a bit to Jim’s chagrin, that on matters of policy, Chris was more of a rebel than Jim was. 

Chris was also willing to tell the cadets the hard truth about being in far reaches of space, unlike most of their instructors. He told them that sometimes there’s no way to survive by going by the book (though he looked at Jim after, and added, pointedly, “by the way, that doesn’t mean to just throw out the book entirely”). He told them that not everything Star Fleet did was as wonderful and mistake-free as they had been led to believe. He told them that Star Fleet leadership was usually right, but usually sure wasn’t always. And he told them that if they ever captain a ship, they certainly would run into a situation where there was no truly ethical choice to be made. 

A few of the more proper cadets didn’t like his teaching style. Jim thought they were idiots.

On the last night, Chris invited all the cadets in the seminar to his quarters for whiskey. It was one of those nice things that instructors sometimes did – for one evening, pretend like all their discussion and debate was just conversation among friends. He told them funny stories about missions and shore leaves gone wrong – an encounter with a newly space-travelling people that almost became war but instead became a raunchy party, or the time half his crew got arrested on a vacation planet because the salute was actually an obscene gesture in the local culture.

They laughed and drank, and Jim found himself feeling jealous of the cadets who got to sit next to Pike on his soft couch, close enough to almost touch him by mistake. Their knees brushing against his as Chris moved, animatedly, telling his tales. Seeing Chris give all the other cadets easy smiles just made Jim stare into his whiskey glass before downing it and grabbing a refill, again and again.

Truthfully, Jim was feeling pretty ambivalent about the entire situation. He had always admired Chris, but these last few days had almost thrown him into a state of hero worship, and that wasn’t a place where Jim was all that comfortable. For one thing, it had totally interfered with his original plan" to impress Chris enough to smile at him and/or get Chris mad enough to ream him out, and then go home and jack off furiously to thoughts of Chris doing dirty, dirty things to reward or punish him. Because Jim still thought that had been a really good plan. But instead, during the seminar, he had spent his nights reading up on what Chris mentioned, thinking of questions to ask him, trying to access as much of Chris’ mind as he could in just a few short days. 

And then there was the fact that when Jim would stay after to privately talk more about the material – when they were alone -- Chris would always call him “son.” It was kind of a turn on. The problem was that Jim didn’t really want it to be a turn on – he had been told his whole life by people who looked down on him that he had ‘daddy issues,’ and this development was not helping his self-image at all. And besides, he didn’t actually want a daddy. Jokes aside, that wasn’t the kind of relationship Jim was generally into. He didn't need anyone to be his daddy, he just wanted Chris to fuck him ‘til he couldn’t walk. 

You know, while calling Jim “son.” And maybe he could tuck Jim into bed after. Possibly while telling him he was a good boy. 

Jim was so completely screwed. 

And maybe it was the whiskey, but the longer they sat there, the more he was feeling overwhelmingly jealous of the stupid cadets who got to sit next to Chris….

So when the cadets started to head out to walk to the dorms, thanking Captain Pike for the class and for the drinks, Jim busied himself cleaning up glasses until he was the only one left, alone with Chris.

Chris stood next to him at the sink, took the glasses from Jim’s hand, his fingers lightly brushing against his. “Impressive work this week, son.”

“Thank you, sir. I really enjoyed it.” Jim wiped off the counter, though it didn’t really need it.

“Funny how a second-year got into the seminar, when access is granted by seniority.”

Jim looked at him. He swallowed nervously, but then Chris’ hard look softened and he smiled. Chris was amused.

Amused was good. 

Jim took another swig of his drink. He wondered if Chris had noticed how much he had drunk that night. “You know, it’s getting pretty late, sir. Do you think I could sleep here tonight?”

He gave Chris a grin.

Chris returned with a look that was dead serious. Not angry, exactly. But annoyed. And kind of sad.

Chris wrapped his hand around the whiskey glass Jim was holding, his fingers surrounding Jim’s fingers with heat, smooth skin. Jim found himself really wanting Chris’ hand to stay there.

Chris took the glass away, though. “I think you’ve had enough.”

Jim nodded. “But it’s really late.”

Chris looked at him, that same serious stare. “I’ll walk you home, son.”

He did. They were quiet the whole way home, and when Jim asked him if he wanted to come up to his dorm room, Chris said “Not tonight, Jim,” and walked away.

\--

After Nero, Pike spent months in rehab. He was there all day, every day, learning to walk again, building up his strength. Jim would visit him whenever he had leave, to give him updates about his ship and crew, to ask Chris for advice (to which he would often reply, “You’re the Captain, son, what do you think should be done?”). 

Jim could tell that the rehab program was taking a toll, and not just physically. Chris would probably never be at perfect health like he once was – his old injuries would affect his strength, even if treatment got him (barely) up to Star Fleet standards. Some people were even questioning if Pike was psychologically back to his pre-injury state. And nobody thought he would be back soon – Chris practically had to pull teeth to keep in the loop with Star Fleet leadership. Rumor had it that a few people were even pressuring Chris to retire. 

Jim knew that wasn’t happening. He wasn’t worried that there was anyone in the galaxy who could keep Chris Pike out of the good fight. 

So Jim would just sit and talk while Chris did his exercises. He knew that Chris definitely didn’t want to talk about what was bothering him. So besides discussing the ship and crew, Jim would just talk about little things, silly things, occasionally regaling Chris with stories of his irresponsible youth so Chris could yell at him a little – Chris always seemed a bit more energized after that. 

Once, on the last night before Jim had to return to the ship, he asked Pike when he thought he would return to duty.

Chris had just finished a set of leg lifts and was sitting on the exercise bench. A sweaty towel lay limp around his shoulders. He was slumped over, tired looking.

“Jim,” he said, and it was clear it pained him to say, “Why the hell would Star Fleet want someone half as good as he used to be?” Chris stared down at the floor.

Jim felt something cold at the pit of his stomach. He wanted to tell Chris that no one in their right mind would think that. That Chris was the greatest man he had ever known and that no injury could change that. That Jim had joined Star Fleet and worked his ass off for years to prove himself all because Christopher Pike believed in him. 

He knew that Chris wouldn’t want to hear it. He knew Chris well enough to know that any reassurance, any compliment, would be seen as flattery, or mere pity. 

Jim would never let Chris think that Jim pitied him. 

“Don’t worry, sir,” Jim said, “Even if the admiral doesn’t, _I_ still find you attractive.”

Chris rolled his eyes and frowned, but snorted a little laugh. He threw his towel at Jim, and it landed directly in his face.

\--

“You know, I report as your first officer in a couple of hours,” Jim said.

“That’s the plan,” Chris answered. It wasn’t easy to make it happen, but he was willing to do almost anything to make sure Jim had a chance to become the kind of officer Chris knew he could become.

“So… for the next couple of hours, we have no official relationship. Star Fleet fraternization policies don’t apply. We could skip the meeting, go back to my quarters….”

Chris gave an exasperated look. “What the hell is wrong with you, Jim? I just barely stopped them from throwing you out altogether. I asked you here to go over the crew files, and you ask me to--? Wait. What’s going on, Jim? Really?”

Jim hesitated. “This meeting is a trap. I feel it. I can’t prove it. But I feel it.”

He waited, expecting full well for Chris to roll his eyes and drag him to the meeting.

Instead, Chris slapped him lightly on the side of the hip. “Next time, just say so. I’ll talk it over with security.”

Jim tried not to look turned on at the little slap. It was one thing to hit on your commanding officer, it was another to turn into a horny teenager every time he touched you. “Yes, sir,” Jim answered. He gave Chris a perfectly neutral smile.

\--

“What are you doing, Jim?” Chris looked confused. Concerned, even.

Jim had been Chris’ first officer for nearly a year, and they had become close friends. Chris was even reasonably satisfied with Jim’s progress as an officer who could occasionally follow Star Fleet policies, and had told Star Fleet so. But Jim had been acting nervous lately. And now, sitting here in the captain’s quarters, next to each other on Chris’ couch, right when they were supposed to be going over some reports from engineering, Jim had leaned over and kissed him.

“Answer me, Jim.” 

“You really want to know?”

“Yes. That’s why I said to tell me.”

“I haven’t exactly been coy about it, sir. I’ve made my intentions pretty obvious.”

“You flirt with everyone, Jim.”

“It’s not the same. You said you wanted the truth. Do you?”

Chris sighed. He looked like he might regret it. But he nodded.

Jim took a deep breath. “Okay, here you go. Let me tell you this story. About this guy I know. A few years ago, I was kicking ass in a barfight. By which I mean I was getting my ass kicked. But only because there were way more of them. And then this hot guy showed up and saved me. No one in that bar was about to say jack to this hot guy, because he was in charge and even the people not in Star Fleet knew it. And he kind of looked at me. Like he wondered what the fuck was wrong with me but also kind of liked me against his will because I was willing to fight a whole group of guys at once. He never stopped giving me that look, by the way. And then the hot guy helped me up, gave me a tissue and ordered me a water. Didn’t even know me, and he did that. Then he looked me up and decided that I should be in Star Fleet. Used my dead father’s memory to manipulate me into joining. 'Cause he kind of gets his way a lot, you know.

“And over the years, he kept an eye on me. He reviewed my grades and awards and disciplinary hearings and extracurriculars, and even though he thinks he was completely discreet, I totally figured out he was keeping an eye on me. And I did some really stupid things, but he never stopped sticking his neck out for me. He made me want to make the universe a better place. He made me think I could. And when nobody in the world would want me, he still did. 

“And for a while he didn’t act like there was anything else. He was the best mentor and best friend you could ask for, but that was it. Supposedly. But you’ve seen the way I act, and you know damn well that I’d have been written up a dozen times for inappropriate flirting if I weren’t really good at reading who is and who isn’t attracted to me. And I thought maybe at first, the hot guy was really worried that he was taking advantage of me. And then maybe he thought that it would be bad for our careers, like if it didn’t work out, I would lose my motivation or something. But I think he knows by now that even without his constant nagging, I would still want to dedicate my life to Star Fleet. That’s a done deal. So then I figured out that it was because the guy didn’t trust me. He likes me. He wants me. But he thinks I’m unpredictable. So I wait. I wait _forever_. And we work together a long time and I think he’s really starting to trust me. As an officer and as a person.

“And then I find out that he’s going to get me my own ship. He thinks I deserve to be a captain. Not just acting captain, but my actual own ship. And it’s the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. Not just making it happen, not just busting all those heads in leadership who hate me, but thinking that I _deserve_ it – best thing anyone has ever done for me. So he’s given me everything I’ve ever had. But he’s also sending me away. And in a few months, I’ll be a week’s travel at warp speed away. And I won’t ever get to tell that bossy, manipulative hot guy that I want him more than anything. That it’s not just a fucking flirtation. And excuse me for saying so, sir, but never telling him the truth? That just seemed like a damn shame.”

Jim leaned back on the couch then. He crossed his arms and waited. He looked over at Chris, nervous but with an edge, almost angry.

Chris thought about it a long time. 

“You’re wrong,” he finally said.

Jim started to argue, but Chris added, “It was never that I didn’t trust you.”

“Then what?”

“Jim, I’m… I’m your commanding officer.”

“So?”

Chris gave that exasperated look. The deeply familiar one.

“It matters, Jim. This kind of thing – when the rules are there for a good reason – it matters. Lives depend on clear thinking. You can’t have that when the captain and first officer are…”

“I disagree.”

“Of course you do.”

“I don’t care about--”

“I do,” Chris said abruptly. “And also… I think what we have now – friendship – it’s good for us.”

“You think I’ll turn into a rule-breaking dumbass if you what – lose authority in my eyes.”

“I think you’ll act like a rule-breaking dumbass once in a while regardless of what I do.”

Jim frowned. “Stop changing the subject.”

“It’s good for us. To have someone who will offer honest criticisms. It’s good for me to have you here to talk to, also.” Chris actually looked a little awkward.

“I know I don’t have the best track record, but I wouldn’t trash our friendship because we started a relationship. And I wouldn’t take advantage of your affection on the job--”

“I know that,” Chris said quickly. “Like I said, I do trust you. I just… don’t think it can work. Captain and First Officer. It’s just a recipe for disaster. I’m sorry, but that’s how I feel.”

Jim felt like he couldn’t breathe. Like he had bared years of desperation to Chris for nothing. He looked down at his hands and tried to think of any argument he could, anything at all that he could volley back. After a minute, he remembered one thing.

“In a few months, I’ll have my own ship. You won’t be my direct commanding officer any more,” Jim said. For some reason, the words came out like an attack.

Chris’ face was neutral for a moment. Then he grimaced and said, “The thought had occurred to me.”

Jim stared for a minute, trying to figure out what was happening. Then he grinned. “You totally have a crush on me, Captain.”

Chris laughed despite himself. “I guess you’ll have to find that out when you visit. On your first leave week on your new ship.”

Jim smiled. He knew his eyes were watering up but he didn’t care. He had never been so grateful to Chris. And that was saying something. 

“I can wait for that,” Jim said, nodding, moving closer again to Chris. “But a few months is a long time. Maybe you should give me just a little preview. You know, to keep me focused.”

Chris shook his head in disbelief. But he leaned in and gave Jim a kiss, long and heated and possessive. 

When they were done, Jim leaned back to catch his breath. “You’re really going to make me wait until I’m not your first officer?”

“I really am.”

Jim smiled. “Anything you say, sir.” He licked his lower lip, knowing exactly how unsubtle he was being.

Chris nodded, grimacing again. Jim could tell that he was just now realizing how difficult the next few months might be. 

“Wipe that smirk off your face, son,” Chris said with a smile. 

“Like I said, sir, anything you say.” 

He kept smirking.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to work in a couple of different prompts -- Jim having mixed feelings about the way Pike's appeal relates to his daddy issues, trust building up over time, and Pike keeping an eye on Kirk over time. Hope you like it :)


End file.
